Skip to main content

Deploying from a Git Repository

You can deploy apps on Hostim.dev directly from a Git repository. Hostim will build your app and run it inside a container.

This is useful for Node.js, Python, Go, and other common web stacks.

This page covers the dashboard. To do the same from a terminal in one command, see Deploy your app.

Supported repositories​

You can deploy from:

  • Public Git repositories (GitHub, GitLab, etc.)
  • Private GitHub repositories using Personal Access Tokens

Connecting your GitHub account​

You can connect your GitHub account to interactively browse and select a repository and branch from your dashboard. This is the easiest way to deploy from private repos.

  • No need to manually enter repo URLs or tokens.
  • The access token is securely set for you after authorization.
  • You can switch between manual and GitHub-connected modes.

To manage or revoke GitHub access later, see How can I manage GitHub access for deployments?.

How to deploy​

  1. Go to your Hostim.dev dashboard
  2. Open your project and click Create Service -> New App.
  3. Give your App a name
  4. Choose Git as in the Deployment Type field.
  5. If GitHub is connected, browse and select the repository and branch interactively.
  6. If entering manually, provide the full Git URL, for example: https://github.com/your-username/your-repo.git.
  7. Select the branch you want to deploy (default is main)
  8. (Optional) Provide Personal Access Token for private repositories.
  9. Provide a relative path to the Dockerfile if needed. (default is Dockerfile) The Dockerfile's directory is the build context, see Build options.
  10. Select number of replicas and a plan.
  11. Click Create App

Hostim will fetch your code, build it, and start the container automatically.

The first build takes a few minutes. To follow it, open the Logs tab and select Build in the dropdown — the StdOut stream stays empty until the build finishes and the container starts. See Observability.

Build options​

You can:

  • Select the branch you want to deploy (default is main). A tag or a full 40-character commit SHA also works. A commit never moves: a rebuild builds the same commit again. Switch back to a branch to get new pushes.
  • Select a Dockerfile path if needed. (default is Dockerfile)
  • Provide a Personal Access Token for private repositories.

The directory that holds the Dockerfile is the build context, not the repository root. With backend/Dockerfile, Hostim builds inside backend/, so write COPY package.json ., not COPY backend/package.json .. Files outside that directory are not available to the build. If your Dockerfile needs files from the whole repository, put it at the root.

Image size limit​

The image you build must stay under 4 GB. Bigger images fail to build.

If you hit the limit:

  • Copy only what the final stage needs — avoid COPY . . in the final stage.
  • Use a smaller base image for the final stage.
  • Remove build caches and temporary files inside the same RUN step that creates them.
  • Split the work into more than one image.

Next steps​